Black Bird Fly
by MekkaBabble
Summary: A sequel to SotN of sorts. A narration of what happened in the castle after Dracula's defeat
1. Never Say Die

Disclaimer: Not that one of these is actually needed because I'm not making any money on this. But it's here just in case. I own only one character in this entire story, I'm claiming copyright for him. Also, please note I had to take many liberties when writing this, as most of the sotn bosses weren't exactly developed characters. Anyway, read and enjoy, if you feel the need, please leave a review- just remember, if you wrote something, I'd review it...  
  
  
  
  
"Pathetic."  
"Pathetic?"  
"Yes, absolutely pathetic."  
"Oh. I-I'm sorry."  
"You should be. Lord Dracula is terribly disappointed in you. Because of your failure, your life is about to drastically change."  
"Really? How so?"  
"That's for me to decide.  
  
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At a concurrent time the above exchange occurred, a much happier event was taking place in a small Romanian home. Alucard and Maria were celebrating the tail end of their wedding reception with their two remaining guests, Richter and Annette. Of the four, it was clear that Annette was the happiest, "Maria, I'm elated you finally decided to put vampire hunting behind you and settle down with a husband, even if he is Dracula's son." Alucard and Maria exchanged dubious glances. Richter, sensing the pair's discomfort, tactfully suggested to Annette that they return home and give Alucard and Maria the privacy they no doubt desired. Reluctantly, she agreed and bid her sister and new brother-in-law a polite goodnight.  
Silence hung in the air like a humid summer morning after the day's affairs. Alucard seemed unbothered by it, quite content to sit at the kitchen table with his new wife, but Maria was troubled by Annette's final words to them.  
"Alucard?" she prompted.  
"Yes, my lady?"  
"Do you think there was truth in Annette's words?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Is there a chance we will be able to live a normal life, without interference from your father?"  
  
Alucard somberly shook his head, "My father is a very persistent man. Without a doubt, he has realized that I have not returned to my eternal slumber. He will likely come back to us and attempt to convince me to join him in his conquest."  
"I see..." Maria relied, half expecting his answer, "but if his castle remains dormant as it has, there is no need to launch an attack."  
"I agree, my love. But for the time being, we should try to put all those unpleasantries behind us." Maria nodded her consent before the two retired, suddenly anxious of these new revelations neither wished to dwell on.  
  
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"Death?"  
"Yes Olrox?"  
"I have a favor to ask of you."  
"It's amusing how you pretend to give me a choice..."  
Olrox smiled at this, "Lord Dracula has given me a new charge, I need you to make sure that he remains alive."  
Death stared questioningly at the vampire, who cleared his throat to explain himself, "His name's Karasuman. He was stationed in the Clock Tower, I believe. Unfortunately for him, he lost his first battle to the last vampire hunter that attempted to destroy this castle. Lord Dracula has appointed me to retrain him in combat."  
"So how do you plan to do that?" Death replied, tactfully not pointing out that they were defeated as well.   
"By whatever means necessary." Olrox answered menacingly. Death shrugged, he knew better than to be scared of his coworker, but he did feel rather sorry for Karasuman, "Anyway, I'll honor your... request and do my best to keep him alive, but do keep in mind Olrox, he's just a child no matter how much potential he has."  
Olrox waived the previous comment, "If all else fails, he can always pay a visit to Stoladark."   
Death shot a surprised glance at his colleague, "You're willing to deal with him?!"  
Olrox remained apathetic, merely leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs, "Yes, if need be." Even Death grimaced. Nobody with any infinitesimal bit of sanity associated himself with Stoladark, the castle's resident healer and physician, who was rumored to be a turncoat and slightly eccentric, to say the least. "Very well." Death at last said, before returning to the nothingness from which he came.  
  
Olrox sighed heavily, he was relieved that matter was taken care of. He loathed associating with Dracula's other underlings, as he prided himself as being better than them. However, Dracula did expect more from him, an opinion he was adamant to keep alive. It then occurred to him that it may be in his best interest to start the duty he was assigned to.  
  
With those ponderings, Olrox removed himself from the chair he was positioned in to retrieve the whip he stored in the corner of his armory. As he returned, he spotted Karasuman attempting to slink away from him, and doing a rather poor job of it. "Karasuman!" Olrox snapped, causing the demon to do a sharp, about-face, he swallowed, trying to mask his fear, already knowing the consequences of upsetting his new master. After gaining his subject's attention, Olrox briskly walked up to him, towering over his meager four foot frame.  
  
"If I remember correctly, you've been informed of your current position."  
"Yes, because Alucard defeated me in the Clock Tower, Dracula ordered you to retrain me-". Olrox corrected him with a sharp crack of his whip, "You shall address him as Lord Dracula." Karasuman nodded, barely flinching from his newly acquired wound.  
"I admire your strength, child. I'm curious to see how long that endurance holds up." Karasuman again nodded, silence, after all, implies consent. He rationalized the less disagreeable he was, the less likely has was to be reprimanded. It was a strategy that had proven effective so far.   
"Very well then," Olrox continued, "perhaps you won't mind making an attempt to learn what I wish to teach?" Despite Olrox's chosen wording, Karasuman knew he would be forced to comply in spite of personal opinions. 


	2. In My Little Room

Disclaimer: I'm only putting this disclaimer up because everyone else does. Why are you reading this? The story's directly below this short block of text. Read that instead, I worked hard on it. Speaking of that, be kind enough to leave a review, they're very nice to get (even if they're bad ones).  
  
So the night wore on. Even through his most concentrated and devoted efforts, Karasuman was unable to master any of the complex (at least he thought so) techniques that Olrox was attempting to teach him. By the time day broke, Karasuman was exhausted as well as suffering from the multiple scourgings he had received. As sunrise progressed, Olrox acknowledged the futility of his efforts and dismissed his charge to his respective cell in the quarter's dungeon for the remainder of the day. For once, Karasuman was more than willing to obey this command, albeit tomorrow would be a repeat of today, "but maybe after I sleep I'll feel better." He thought, praying he was correct.  
Karasuman eventually managed to stagger back to his nondescript, barren cell block. When he lay down on the plank bed, he immediately drifted into the kind of sleep only the dead have experienced. Overall, that became the daily routine, and Karasuman hated every moment of his existence, which to any sympathetic onlooker, would be perfectly understandable. More than once, he considered suicide. Unlike some of Dracula's other minions, he lacked immortality and longed to be removed from the current phase of his life. Unfortunately, there was no feasible way to carry out such an act without attracting undue attention. Despite his efforts to veil his stress and deteriorating physical condition, his suffering did not go unnoticed, and was pointed out by a rather unlikely candidate.  
As Olrox was meandering through his quarters, supervising some of the other goings-on in his portion of the castle, Death materialized in front of him, blocking his path. "Olrox," Death rasped, "we must talk." "I have nothing to say to you, my friend." Olrox replied in his usual, patronizing tone before transforming into mist so he could be left alone. "You're aware that I can follow you anywhere you try to go." Death stated, hoping Olrox would be sensible enough not to waste his energy. Surprisingly, the technique succeeded. Olrox floated down to his coworker and proceeded to shift back to his vampire form, "Do hurry this along." Olrox said in as polite a voice as he could muster.  
Death cleared his throat, "In addition to my regular duties, I've taken note of the current condition of your charge, something you obviously have not bothered to do recently." Death paused, waiting for the other to give input as well. Olrox glared at him, clearly disinterested, "Go on." "Very well then, I'll be blunt. Karasuman is going to die and has even become suicidal. Despite my power, there is little I can do to prevent it. For a bat or raven to expire is one thing, but a demon is another! Should that unfortunate incident occur, Dracula will have both our hides!" "Well, what do you suggest?" "Let him become Stoladark's problem." "You would really trust him?!" "Neither of us have a choice." It took Olrox a brief moment to absorb the information before he officially confirmed the suggestion. "Very well, I'll see that Karasuman is sent to Stoladark." "You had better." Death hissed ominously before vaporizing. Olrox was perspicacious enough not to ignore Death, no matter how much contempt he held him in, and as much as he loathed admitting it, this was a problem that needed to be amended immediately. Despite these revelations, he was tired and mentally determined to wait until the subsequent night.  
  
Karasuman stood at the front of his cell, gripping the bars which served as a door, avidly searching for something to stave off his importunate boredom. He was knocked out of his reverie when one of the Bloody Zombie guards rapped his knuckles with the flat of its sword. "If you wanted me to move, you could have just said so." Karasuman mumbled while rubbing the injured hand. But he learned very early that there was nothing to be gained from dwelling on such injustices. It did as much good as yelling when one has a severe headache and happened so often that he found himself beginning to tolerate it. With a sigh, Karsuman lay down on his makeshift bed and pulled the covers up around him. It was quite uncomfortable, but he was too drained to care. Tomorrow would be better, he hoped.  
That next morning, Karasuman awoke in the usual manner, one of the Bloody Zombies hit the bars of his cell until it saw movement. He sat up, shaking the remainder of his weariness off with little difficulty. When he officially came to his senses, he took note of the Vahalla Knight positioned on the other side of the bars. "Good, you're awake," The rider began, ignoring that the action had been forced. "Lord Olrox has ordered me to take you to see Stoladark today." "Oh. Who's that?" "Some crazy vampire that lives in the Alchemy Laboratory," the monster answered while a Bloody Zombie unlocked the door. "I'm glad it's you who's going and not me. Climb onto the back of my horse."  
'What back?' Karasuman thought. Frankly, the idea of riding on such a beast disgusted him, "I think I'll walk." He finally responded while punctuating the statement by standing up, albeit unsteadily. The knight gave a half-hearted laugh, "You look like you'd be able to," he added sarcastically before being hit with a pang of compassion, "Come on. I'll help you up." He said more gently than before. With minimal effort, the monster managed to help Karasuman onto the back of his horse before kicking the front half of the equine into action. Despite the number of time he had seen them, Karasuman always marveled at the speed the two-legged beasts possessed.  
Within a matter of minutes, the horse was skillfully guided to the door that led to Stoladark's room. Karasuman was let off and given a final set of instructions. "He's been told you're coming. Just knock on the door." The knight prepared to depart, but added one last thing before speeding off "oh, and good luck child." The demon was left alone in front of the presumably locked door. He hesitated to knock as had been told, but the action was unnecessary, as handle was turned from the inside. Karasuman took a step back, getting into a defensive position he had learned earlier, half-expecting to encounter a creature more revolting than Granfaloon to emerge.  
Thankfully, it was a misplaced fear. Stoladark was quite normal, almost human-like in appearance, the demon was even reluctant to believe that this new acquaintance was indeed a vampire. "Well, he certainly was in a hurry," Stoladark said cheerfully while watching the Vahalla Knight disappear. "I'm at a loss as to why, but I suppose that's not important," he paused to look at his new patient. "You must be Karasuman, come in and sit down on the bed." The prospect of going back to sleep was very appealing, Karasuman happily took the suggestion. "Hmmm." Stoladark mused while the demon made himself comfortable, "what did Olrox do to you?" he finished after giving Karasuman a quick perusal. "Do you really want to know?" he answered.  
"No, I suppose not." Stoladark said with a huff, "anyway, you look tired. Go ahead and get some sleep, I'll wake you when there's a need." A cryptic answer, but Stoladark had been dead on, Karasuman was far too exhausted to care. It could always be sorted out later. 


	3. Take My Love

I'm going to make a conscious effort to update this story more than once every six months now. I had to stretch quite a bit to actually write this, but if you've made it to chapter 3, you probably know that by now. Anyway, reviews are always nice, even ones that aren't positive, so let me know what you think.  
  
What could not have been more than a few hours later, Karasuman woke up feeling quite refreshed, but still in a good deal of pain. Stoldark eyed him with a nonchalant shrug, "Oh, you're up a bit sooner than I expected. No matter though, how are you feeling?" "Honestly, terrible."  
Stoladark nearly smiled at the demon, "That's not surprising if you've been living with Olrox. I've known him to be rather sadistic at times. I'll see what I can do to help you out." "I appreciate it." "I doubt you'll be saying that later on." Stoladark mumbled casually while closing a thick tome he had been perusing. Evidently, Karasuman didn't hear his final comment because he sat up and fixed his eyes on Stoladark's book- a Bible. He swallowed hard, "I thought no one was allowed to-" The eccentric vampire silenced him while rising from his seat, "Maybe not, but a healthy fear of Christianity never hurt, and in fact, has saved my life numerous times." Karasuman continued staring at the Bible, "But-"  
"But nothing. You'll be far better off ignoring what Dracula and Olrox tell you." Stoladark finished his patient's sentence while picking his way through a shelf, removing the ingredients required to create an elixir. Karasuman smiled a lay back down. He was beginning to understand why every inhabitant of the castle disliked Stoladark.  
  
Within a matter of days, Stoladark and Karasuman had become good friends. He found the peculiar vampire to be sociable and kind, two traits not exactly common among Dracula's subordinates. It was a pleasant change. Stoladark also proved himself to be a miracle worker with medicine, Karasuman felt almost completely better from when the knight dropped him off in the Alchemy Laboratory. But sadly for the demon, there was a downside to his newfound health - it was understood that he would return to Olrox as soon as he made a full recovery. The more time he devoted to that realization, the more he hated it. Karasuman considered mentioning this to Stoladark, but there was little he could do about it, he would risk his life if he tried. Luckily for the demon, Stoladark refused to acknowledge the limits to his own power and had already made plans to speak to Olrox regarding his new friend's well-being.  
Karasuman was greatly confused when Stoladark prepared to leave his chamber for the first time since they had met. "I'll be back shortly." He told the demon before attempting to depart. "Wait!" his young friend said in earnest, "where are you going?" Had Karasuman not been so anxious, the vampire would've laughed, "I need to have a quick conversation with Olrox. I'm deeply bothered by his treatment of you." Karasuman was elated, he saw where this was leading, but he feared for his comrade's safety. He must have unconsciously communicated this through his body language, because Stoladark walked up to him and gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "It's almost cute how they have you so scared into submission. Don't worry, I'll be okay." He punctuated his final words with a laugh.  
Without further protest, Karasuman watched as the vampire ambled out the door, shutting it silently behind him. He had never admired any individual as much as he did Stoladark. It was rare when anyone went through the effort to do him such a favor. Karasuman was already feeling tense about the, likely unfavorable, outcome of Stoladark's altruism and searched for something to occupy himself with, eventually rediscovering the Bible. He cautiously stared at the forbidden document before reaching out to open it, snapping back his hand after recalling the pain holy items could inflict.  
After a few more seconds' hesitation, he quickly flipped the book open, expecting to feel a sharp, burning sensation, but only suffered from a slight paper cut. With renewed confidence, the demon set out to learn what was so terrible about this particular literary work.  
  
When Stoladark entered Olrox's courtyard, he was disappointed to learn that his superior was absent, 'Probably speaking to Dracula about matters of utmost importance.' He thought sarcastically while taking a seat on the edge of the prominent blood fountain. Stoladark was fortunate enough to possess an unusually large amount of patience, so he was content to stare at the full moon and soak up the warmth of the summer night.  
He sighed with pleasure and caught scent of Olrox as he returned. Stoladark tensed with anticipation. The two vampires had known each other for over a century and still had yet to have any positive social interactions. Stoladark grinned maliciously, he wasn't entirely certain how the proceeding events would play out, but he was sure that he would walk away laughing, and Olrox would hate him more than ever.  
"Oh, Stoladark. What a pleasure it is to see you." Olrox calmly lied, previously ignoring his unexpected visitor. Stoladark however, didn't feel the need to mince words, "Really? I think having a stake driven through my heart would be more pleasant than conversing with you." Olrox clenched his fist, but otherwise paid no heed to the insult, "Perhaps you would like something to drink?" he eventually inquired, motioning to the fountain. The other vampire eyed it distastefully, "I'm sorry, I prefer not to dine on the blood of the innocent."  
Olrox crossed his arms and took a more relaxed stance, abruptly dropping his air of politeness, "Just tell me what you want." Stoladark nodded approvingly, "After taking care of Karasuman and discussing his experience with you, I'm inclined to think that it's not in his best interest to continue training under your supervision." Olrox shook his head, he was in no mood to receive a second lecture regarding his orders, least of all from Stoladark! "I was merely doing as I was told."  
Stoladark felt something inside him snap, and made no effort to hide it, "That's no excuse!" His enemy responded in kind, "You really think that? Perhaps you can explain that to Dracula, but I doubt he'll listen to you. He hates you just as much as everyone else." "Not everyone hates me." "Oh! Forgive me," Olrox began again with a acerbic overtone, shooting an icy glare at the intruder, "you've succeeded in befriending one exceedingly weak demon. That will undoubtedly be of use to you." Stoladark hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to counter that last verbal assault on his poor social skills, "Then you understand the importance I attach to protecting him. Karasuman will not be returning to you." He concluded before attempting to exit the courtyard. He smiled disarmingly as he passed by Olrox, thinking his superior too stunned to respond. Sometimes, Stoladark decided, tormenting his betters could be more entertaining than killing humans ever was. He changed his mind when he felt Olrox hit him with a spell that left a lingering stinging sensation on his upper back. Stoladark shook off the pain and spun around to find his enemy ambling up to him. He stared defiantly at his attacker, uncertain of how to react now that their fight had turned physical. Stoladark feared for his life, he had about as much battle prowess as a tame bunny. Shakily, he pushed a stray lock of black hair behind his ear and braced himself for the worst. 


	4. There's Never a Forever Thing

Okay, this is the last chapter to a rather lengthy introduction. Personally, I think this gets more interesting from here. Keep sending reviews!  
  
"You do realize how easily I can execute you for your insubordination right now." Olrox stated, happy to once again have the upper hand. Stoladark swallowed, "Not without permission from Dracula you can't." he countered with a lot more confidence than he felt. Olrox nodded, "I'll get it. In the meantime, allow me to explain something to you." The healer remained silent, debating on whether to argue or not, Olrox took this as a cue to continue, "Stoladark, it's essential that Karasuman be retrained to properly guard the Clock Tower. Otherwise, a significant portion of the castle will be vulnerable to attack." Stoladark raised an eyebrow, "Perhaps someone else would like to do it?" Olrox kept a tight rein on his temper, "And who do you suggest?" "Shaft?" he shrugged, merely saying the first name that came to mind. "No." Olrox stated, offering no further clarification, "and the last thing we need is to get ravaged by another Belmont!" Stoladark thought for a moment, "It wasn't a Belmont last time if I recall correctly." "Anyway, I'd like to see Karasuman back in my quarters by this time tomorrow or there will be dire consequences!"  
Stoladark placatingly bowed and muttered the one word that would alter his life for the next two centuries at least, "No." after which he transformed into a bat and made a hasty retreat to the Alchemy Laboratory. Olrox chose to let him go, he would inform Dracula of the healer's activities before making any rash decisions. Everything would be dealt with properly. He stood in his courtyard a few moments longer, suddenly realizing why they were defeated by humans and their allies so often- internal dissent.  
  
After reverting back to his vampire form, Stoladark reentered his room and leaned against a wall, racking his brain for a way to reverse his unofficial death sentence. He had attempted to save the life of a friend- and failed, quite possibly losing his own in the process. "What happened?" Karasuman prompted sheepishly, after noticing that the vampire hadn't spoken since his return. Stoladark sighed heavily, refusing to look at him, "Nothing." He mumbled. "Oh." The demon replied, not wanting to push the subject. He had assumed, correctly, that Stoladark was unable to sway Olrox in any particular direction, but had no desire to hear it said. There were times when ignorance was favored to knowledge.  
Despite Stoladark's taciturn behavior, both would shortly learn their fates. They exchanged worried glances when someone was heard pounding at the door, Karasuman climbed under the chair he had been sitting in and, somehow, did a marvelous job of concealing himself while Stoladark placed a rawboned hand on the doorknob and rolled his eyes. He was hardly eager to discover the bombshell that awaited him. The vampire was slightly taken aback to find Slogra standing before him, impatiently tapping his foot and shaking his head in a way that suggested he was ruffling some nonexistent feathers before speaking, "I've been sent to tell you that because of your disobedience to Lord Olrox, you're to be banished from this castle."  
"I'm not getting executed?" Stoladark interrupted, but just as miserable with this sentence. "You will be if you don't leave within the hour!" Slogra squawked back while pounding the butt of his spear on the marble floor. "So I can be impaled here," Stoladark mused, guessing Dracula's favorite execution method "or be burned at the stake by a mob of angry villagers outside." Slogra cocked his head, "A macabre way of saying it, but yes, those are your options." The vampire thought for a moment, concluding that he at least had some chance of survival outside the castle walls. Even though it would be difficult, villages could be avoided, and food and water were plentiful in the surrounding area. Perhaps if he could grow accustomed to sunlight, Stoladark might try to pass for a human. Any other problems could be sorted out as they arose, "I'll leave."  
Slogra cackled, "I'm glad you see it our way, goodbye Stoladark." The vampire didn't even wait for the emaciated bird to leave before closing the door on him and preparing to depart. Part of him was very happy to finally be free of Dracula's control, even if it meant the possibility of a fiery death at the hands of mortals. Once Karasuman felt safe enough, he emerged trembling from his hiding place, deducing that with Stoladark gone, he would once again be delivered into Olrox's hands. "So you are coming?"  
Karasuman lifted his head to look at his friend, clearly not understanding. "Do you want to leave with me or not?" Stoladark clarified. The demon didn't answer right away, escaping was the obvious choice. He had found nothing but pain in Dracula's rotting castle, first receiving a humiliating defeat at the hands of a vampire hunter, then being nearly beaten to death by Olrox, but change was always difficult. However, his life hadn't been stable as of late and wasn't likely to be in the near future, and a new setting might prove pleasant. "Don't go without me." He definitively replied. Stoladark smiled, clearly pleased with his choice. The two friends managed to leave the castle in a fairly inconspicuous manner, questioned only by Slogra and Gaibon, who were suspicious of Karasuman. Stoladark explained that the demon was acting as an escort, which he thought was a fairly unconvincing lie, but the pair were, sadly, gullible enough to believe him.  
"Morons." Stoladark spat back at the castle and its inhabitants while digging his foot into the soft soil under him. Even if Karasuman heard the comment, he paid no attention to it. He was far too engrossed in his first excursion off of the castle grounds, becoming especially interested in crickets and the harmonies they generated. "They're going to look for you." Stoladark eventually said, gently snapping the demon from his reverie. This, however, gained Karasuman's full interest, "What do you think I should do?"  
"Find somewhere to hide. There are some rather.unpleasant tasks I must accomplish around here before leaving and I'd like to not get you recaptured." Karasuman didn't question him, although this time it was from something more than an ingrained response to follow orders, he was eager to explore and this gave him a fantastic excuse to do so. With that, the demon offered his friend a polite goodbye and ambled off into the night, seamlessly being absorbed into the darkness. Stoladark watched him go. He knew how foolish it was to allow the naïve demon to wander around the mortal world by himself, but lingering around the castle would have been just as dangerous if not more so. He grinned as he listened to one of the wargs growling at him from the other side of the gate and sighed, leaning against a wall just out of range of the creature's snapping maw. Stoladark didn't take his banishment lightly and wanted to take the opportunity of showing Dracula his gratitude. It was only a matter of deciding how.  
  
Karasuman turned around to face the rotting fortress that had once been his home. Although still the prominent landmark on the horizon, it seemed small and insignificant. Somewhere in the vast expanse of Romania, the demon heard the howl of a wolf. Even though it wasn't a creature of evil, the familiar echo reminded him that his newfound freedom could be snatched away at any given moment. Whimpering slightly, fearing an impending capture, he pressed forward, feeling his mood heighten when he caught sight of a large stone wall through the shadows. The demon spread his wings and effortlessly ascended, perching atop of the surprisingly flimsy defense. He scanned the scene laid before him- a series of cottages, many of them very still and quiet as the residents slept through the night, blissfully unaware of the unholy intruder. It was astonishing how the humans so willingly left themselves open for attack, not that Karasuman had any plans to take advantage of that, he may have possessed little knowledge of the outside world, but he was cognizant of the aversion humans had for his kind and the fate he would suffer is discovered.  
Even armed with this information, curiosity superseded any potential logic the demon chose to utilize. Only when he noticed a cathedral uncomfortably close to him did he feel the need to flee. Granted Stoladark's Bible hadn't harmed him for some currently indecipherable reason, going near such a church most certainly would. Still balancing on the town's defense barrier, the demon slowly backed away, doing his best to check the solidity of each stone before shifting any weight onto it. Even with the taken precautions, Karasuman still ended up falling to the ground due to a loose rock, and on the wrong side of the wall. He stifled a cry as he landed on his left arm. If nothing else, his experience with Olrox had helped him develop a high tolerance for pain. Careful not to further aggravate the injured appendage, Karasuman kneeled in a bare spot of an otherwise well-tended garden, at least confident that with a church so nearby, he could rest and neutralize Dracula's threat temporarily. No one in that God-forsaken castle would ever think to look for him in a town either!  
The demon jumped to his feet and prepared to dart to the opposite side of the wall after a short consideration, realizing his grievous error a few seconds too late. Before he could make that critical move, a figure had crept up behind him and pressed a razor-sharp hunting knife to his throat, already making a thin cut. "Don't move demon!" a smooth feminine voice commanded. Even though his instincts told him to either flee or attempt to disarm his assailant, Karasuman knew he was currently incapable of either and held perfectly still. The woman let out a slight laugh, clearly enjoying her task, "Now turn around, I'd like to see your face before I kill you."  
The demon didn't fully understand why he hadn't attempted to fight back, even if he was no match for this obviously skilled fighter. Possibly, he had already consigned himself to the bloody fate. He stole a glance upward of his potential killer, she was a tall, strong woman with finely carved features and flowing blonde hair. Karasuman then fixed his eyes on a particularly beautiful bed of tulips that would likely be his grave and made the sign of the Cross, hoping this Jesus he had recently read about would grant a demon some of His divine mercy. 


	5. An Ordinary Miracle

V- For those of you who noticed, I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates (unbeknownst to me, college ended up requiring genuine work). Now, I want to take this time to extend a great deal of gratitude to Codes778, who's been kind enough to give me over half my reviews.and I'm positive more than one person is reading this. Let this be a hint to the rest of you. On that note, I also want to point out that bad reviews won't bother me (so long as they insult the story and not me).  
  
Although still unaware of the full implications of his actions, the Heavens smiled upon Karasuman and the knife was removed from his throat. "What did you just do?" the perplexed woman demanded, still holding her weapon in full view. Karasuman fell to his knees, first to thank God and second to show submission to the human that spared his life. The demon then took note of the woman's weapon glinting menacingly in the moonlight, "Please don't kill me," he pleaded, wiping away the trickle of blood from his neck. "Answer my question!" the woman snapped, slightly louder than she intended.  
"Maria, might you tell me what's going on here?" inquired a man, who nearly materialized in the garden. "Oh Alucard, you won't believe what I've just found." Maria replied, audibly relaxing and once again gesturing to the unfortunate demon with her hunting dagger. Even without hearing the man's name, the recognition was instant. Karasuman turned whiter than a skeleton fresh picked of meat at the sight of the vampire hunter and slowly rose to his feet before attempting a subtle exit, but Maria was once again upon him, "I thought I told you not to move." She said in far too syrupy a voice for Karasuman's liking. Alucard gazed on impassively, trying to place this demon. Judging by its actions, it knew who he was, not that the issue was terribly important, Maria had probably killed it by now anyway.  
Alucard continued to assess the scene, noticing that Maria was shrugging at him, and that the demon was indeed still alive. "Maria, why don't you kill it?" His wife lowered her weapon, now confident Karasuman would no longer try to flee. "I had every intention to, but then he made the sign of the cross." She explained. Alucard nodded in acknowledgement before turning his attention to Karasuman, "Where have I seen you before?" he calmly inquired. The demon sank to the ground at Maria's feet and wrapped his wings around his diminutive form, even though it was a simple question he had little desire to speak with Alucard. He averted his gaze to the ground, suddenly realizing just how enthralling dirt really was. "Answer me, demon!" the vampire hunter commanded much more forcefully than before. Karasuman flinched and whimpered involuntarily, "In the Clock Tower," he began softly, ".around six months ago." He buried his head in his knees, just wanting to be left alone. After that, Alucard honored his implicit wish.  
Maria backed up toward her husband, all the while keeping a sharp eye on their unofficial prisoner. "He's obviously rather intelligent, not once has he attempted an attack since arriving." Alucard commented, staring at the trembling black ball of feathers in the corner of his yard. Maria remained dubious, "Do you think he might be one of your father's spies?" she whispered.  
"That's highly unlikely. He would send something much less.conspicuous if he were just gathering information. None of my father's minions would also invoke our Lord for assistance." A dead silence followed while the vampire hunters exchanged glances and began to whisper inaudibly to each other. Two long hours crept by before Karasuman finally relaxed, presuming his life was no longer threatened. He sat intently watching the hunters converse, debating on whether to be frightened or bored, the monotony of it all broken up by a gesture toward him from time to time. The suspense was agonizing. He just wanted something, anything to happen. On top of this current dilemma, the sun was also beginning its ascent into the sky. Karasuman had never experienced the full blaze of the sun before and wasn't entirely certain if demons suffer the same way a vampire would. Alucard seemed to be ignoring the imminent dawn, so the demon deduced that he would be safe, but crawled into a shady spot just to be sure.  
Two sets of eyes once again fell upon him upon the attempted movement, "Perhaps we should continue this inside?" Maria prompted. With the coming of morning, the village would once again stir to life and two vampire hunters interrogating a demon in their garden might cause unwarranted panic. Alucard nodded his consent and went to retrieve Karasuman while Maria entered their domicile. "Come with me, demon." Alucard commanded, unknowingly continuing to intimidate the demon. Karasuman snapped to attention and obediently followed him.  
Had he not been so stressed, he would have likely laughed at the irony of the situation. Of all the places he expected to be this heavy, foggy morning, the home of his mortal enemy was not one of them. Once inside, Maria ushered them to the kitchen table before sitting down herself. Karasuman sat stiffly at the edge of one of four chairs surrounding the polished pine table, leaving his hands to rest lightly on the surface. The elegance of the Tepes household mirrored that of Dracula's castle perfectly, with the exception it was much more well-kept. Before joining his wife and accidental intruder, Alucard conspicuously remove his family sword from its honored place above the dormant fireplace. "Now demon, Maria and I have decided to give you a chance to explain your presence here." Karasuman nodded knowingly and thought for a moment, trying to properly address the implied question, "I was looking at your town and slipped onto the wrong side of the wall?" he more asked, hoping he gave a satisfactory answer.  
"I trust you weren't planning to attack us." Alucard threatened swiftly. The demon avoided eye contact with him, "I wouldn't do that, I just ran away from Dracula." He rested his head on the palm of his hand and nearly whispered, "I can't afford to make any more enemies."  
Both Alucard and Maria appeared as though they had been struck in the spine with a metal rod, "Would you care to elaborate?" Maria asked, after recovering from the initial shock.  
"I'm sorry." The demon shyly replied, although clandestinely confident he had taken the first step to earning their trust. "Don't apologize, just do it." Alucard demanded, for the first time truly concerned with what his enemy had to say. Karasuman proceeded to explain, in perhaps too concise a manner, what happened to him from the moment Alucard defeated him until the present.  
Maria was quite taken aback by the narrative, "I'm shocked Dracula would actually treat one of his servants that way." Alucard shook his head at her, "Don't be. If my father's minions fail, they tend to face very harsh punishments, especially the weaker ones, and this demon here was by far one of the easiest victories I had." A comment that would have cut a deep metaphorical wound had it not been true. "I feel he poses no threat. Even if he wanted to, he can cause us no harm."  
Karasuman inwardly smiled. Even without voicing his intentions, or lack thereof, the vampire hunters had deduced that he meant no harm. At least as assumed so until Maria moved across the kitchen and beckoned her husband to follow, "Now there is only the matter of his apparent version to Christianity." she whispered. Alucard took a moment to gather his thoughts, "I know not what the theological implications of a demon seeking salvation are, but perhaps Father Aurel would." He guessed, hoping their local pastor at the cathedral of St. Quirinus would be able to assist them in this increasingly complex matter. 


	6. Home

Okay, now I hope this chapter is as much fun to read as it was to write. That being said, leave reviews, I may be writing this for my own pleasure, but I'm taking the time to revise and post it for yours. Also, is there any monster in particular anyone want to see? It's time to start thinking about where this fic is headed.  
  
Death looked on with a malicious grin, very pleased that Olrox was finally getting his ego chopped down to a more tolerable size. Ever since Stoladark took it upon himself to let Karasuman tag along when he was banished, Dracula had been exceptionally hostile. The matter was made more delicious because Olrox was receiving the majority of the blame, even though it wasn't entirely his fault.  
"Now please," Dracula began to his formerly favorite assistant, "explain to me again how these two traitors managed to just walk out of my castle?" Olrox bowed, preparing to make what he hoped was a convincing appeal, "My Lord, you must recall that it is Slogra and Gaibon who are responsible for guarding the front of the castle." Death nearly snickered out loud, but caught himself to avoid drawing attention. Olrox's excuse was pitiable at best, something Dracula didn't hesitate to point out, "and pray tell, just who is supposed to prevent them from doing such things?" Olrox had no way to refute that reasoning.  
Death strode forward, finally feeling comfortable enough to force his way into the conversation, "Master, if I may, I'd like to say a few words." Dracula motioned for him to continue, "Please."  
"Well, perhaps this undesirable situation can be amended if the traitors could be captured. It would take little trouble to locate and bring them back here where they can be properly punished." Even though Death was thoroughly enjoying Olrox's lecture, if things continued as they had, it wouldn't be much longer before he was traced as playing a role. After all, it was Death who very forcefully suggested that Stoladark become overtly involved in the castle's affairs.  
"That is indeed a brilliant idea, albeit obvious. It leads me to wonder why it was never thought of earlier." Dracula shot a cold glare at Olrox, "Perhaps the two of you can find a way to do that in an efficient fashion." he commanded. Death grimaced, that was a blow he most certainly did not expect-getting punished for Olrox's sin. He considered raising protest, but that would likely make matters worse. Dracula's other minion didn't appear pleased either. Regardless, Death wordlessly bowed and exited the Keep. Olrox followed suit soon afterward.  
Death turned around when he heard the door creak open behind him, "I will say Olrox, you've certainly made a fine mess of things!" Death thought it might be a bit fun if he kept up Dracula's condescending tone toward Olrox. The vampire growled in disapproval, but otherwise never gave his new companion the satisfaction of a retort, "Perhaps we should just find a way to accomplish this task in a timely manner?" Death smiled, that was one thing he genuinely admired about Olrox, he was always very straightforward, "I agree."  
"I hardly see how this is a big deal. Karasuman and Stoladark could hardly be considered important, or even helpful for that matter." Death and Olrox spun to face the eavesdropper. Olrox narrowed his eyes at her, "It's the principle of it, Succubus. If those two can get away with defying Dracula, others will think they can do the same." Death cleared his throat, preparing to add to his comrade's words, "Take Galamoth as an example, it would be devastating if he chose to overthrow Dracula."  
Succubus smiled and prepared to depart, but was determined to leave a good impression on her two superiors "Is there is anything I can do to assist either of you?" Olrox moved to reply, but Death cut him off, "Nothing yet, I had plans to merely send out a bat to locate the traitors, but I may call on you later." Olrox glared at his coworker, not feeling terribly appreciative about being undermined, "Just what are you thinking?" he snapped. "I'm thinking it would be foolish to make any rash moves." "And sending a bat out is the best way to accomplish something?" the vampire sarcastically inquired.  
"Do you prefer we search for them ourselves?" For once, Olrox was in complete agreement with his coworker. He had no wish to carry out such menial tasks if something else could be found to do them instead, "Very well then, shall we part ways until your spy returns?" Death concurred before vanishing.  
The vampire stood in the empty hallway for a few moments longer, his lips upturned in a malevolent smile. Ever since the initial surprise of his new assignment had worn off, Olrox was beginning to imagine he might enjoy this game, especially once Karasuman and Stoldark were found.  
  
Karasuman stared out the window of the kitchen, half-wondering what his unofficial captors were discussing this time. The summer sun was ablaze in its full glory on the townspeople and pack animals that periodically wandered by. He yawned, with those few moments to himself, the demon realized just how drained he was. Never before had he been up so early, or so late, depending on how one looked at it, and his current predicament would likely prevent him from getting rest anytime soon. When Alucard turned his attention back to Karasuman, the demon shifted uneasily under his gaze, "Maria and I have someone we would like to introduce you to." He said bluntly.  
The demon had the good sense not to protest, or ask further questions. His grasp on life was tentative at best, and he wanted to avoid irritating either of the hunters he was keeping company with, "I look forward to meeting him." he replied diffidently with a bow. Alucard silently applauded the demon and his self-discipline before exiting the back door, beckoning Maria and Karasuman to follow. Assuming an excursion into daylight could hurt no more than anything else he had experienced, the demon followed deferentially and showed little aversion beyond shielding his eyes. This time, Alucard took the effort to voice his approbation, "Well Demon, I will say that your willpower is commendable." Karasuman smiled, pleased to receive a compliment and feeling slightly more secure with his acquaintances. At least until after they completed their short stroll through the deserted back roads of the village and arrived at their destination- the same cathedral Karasuman has been trying so hard to avoid.  
Thankfully, Alucard and Maria held no expectations of him going inside, so they left him perched in the shade of a tree located in the church's garden. The demon had long since abandoned any ideas of escape, if he attempted now, the villagers would certainly see he was executed if Alucard and Maria didn't first. He instead decided to focus his attention on the ubiquitous church. It seemed much more imposing in the sunlight than when he first noticed it before dawn. If for nothing else than to set his mind at ease, the demon flew from the tree and approached the cathedral's steps, "The Cathedral of St. Quirinus." he read off an engraving on the first step, "why does that name sound familiar?"  
"St. Quirinus is the patron saint against evil spirits, which leads me to wonder what you're doing here." With the arrival of a potentially dangerous stranger, Karasuman temporarily forgot all his misgivings about the cathedral and jumped onto one of the many flying buttresses scattered across the outside of the building. "I know you," after recognizing just who the man was, the demon felt the majority of his fear melt away, "you're Richter Belmont!"  
Richter held his head high, very flattered that even the lowliest of demons knew his name. But something was wrong, Karasuman spoke without the least hint of dread in his voice. Richter found this puzzling considering he was the latest member in the family line that had been Dracula's bane since the Crusades. The vampire hunter deeply regretted that he carried no weapon. To compensate, he returned to St. Quirinus to obtain a small vial of holy water. Once he returned, he was aghast to find his adversary still quite cheerful, and not intimidated in the least. Karasuman examined the Belmont once again, "You were the one that was possessed by Shaft, right?"  
"Need you remind me?" Richter snapped, throwing the holy water at the demon. He ducked, narrowly avoiding a painful and potentially fatal wound, dearly wishing he hadn't struck such a raw nerve. By luck and coincidence alone, Karasuman spotted a raven preening itself on a gargoyle and ordered it to attack while he took refuge on the cathedral's roof.  
"Dare I ask what's going on?" an unrecognized voice meekly inquired. Karasuman immediately called off his winged ally and peered down at the newcomer while the bird alighted next to him. Richter was too stunned to speak, but obviously happy to be free of his avian assailant. The unidentified man turned his head toward the flustered demon, "Hmmm.my church appears to have acquired a new gargoyle, a sentient one too."  
"Father Aurel, that's a demon." Richter eventually managed. The priest glared at him and whispered, "I know that, but unlike you, I'm not going to provoke him into attacking me because of a bruised ego." The vampire hunter blushed and hung his head, embarrassed that the local pastor had witnessed the somewhat ridiculous display. "And besides, have you spoken to Alucard or Maria recently?"  
"Should I have?" Richter rejoined. Father Aurel ignored him, "So demon, perhaps it would be easier for us to talk if you chose to get off the roof? I promise not to hurt you." He said gently. Richter threw his hand in the air in resignation and walked away, confident the priest had sealed his own fate. Karasuman kept his eyes intently trained on the vampire hunter until he was out of sight, and then began stroking the back of his raven ally, "You're a priest, why should I trust you?" he halfheartedly replied, once again feeling the effects of the morning's stress and fatigue. Father Aurel spread his hands disarmingly, "Just have faith." 


	7. A Bit of Perfection

Wow- here's chapter 7 after a marathon of not updating. You can blame college, specifically Russian class, and my psychotic roommate. One took up my time, the other took up my space. All that nonsense is over and done now (until August anyway), and I think I can still write in English after all that Russian, but if I spell something with a 6 don't be alarmed. I know this chapter is rather short, but as one might expect, I've fallen behind in writing as well as posting, so there's more to come- cross my heart. As always do leave reviews, this story doesn't always write itself.  
  
Karasuman tried to maintain a healthy amount of skepticism while peering at the priest who stood smiling up at him. Father Aurel made an effort to coax the demon from the roof once more, "I hold no weapon and I'm an old man. If it came to blows even you would be able to defeat me." Why was this man pointing out his weaknesses? It was indeed fascinating. The priest seemed harmless enough and Karasuman was hardly in a position to refuse his offer, he certainly couldn't remain on the cathedral roof indefinitely. After a few more moment's consideration, the demon swooped to the ground a few feet from where Father Aurel stood, then climbed to face him. "By the way demon," the priest continued calmly, "what is your name? You already know mine."  
"Karasuman." Father Aurel bowed his head in modest greeting, "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Karasuman...and your raven friend." The demon glanced down and noted that the bird had followed him. He bent down and allowed it to clamber into his outstretched hand and then backed away from the priest, suddenly realizing something, "Wait." He began, "why do you trust me even though I'm a demon?"  
Father Aurel laughed at this, "because it's been brought to my attention that you were praying earlier. Even more extraordinary, God answered and your life was spared. Surely there is a reason for such an occurrence." The demon could think of no logical response, so he merely waited with baited breath for the priest to continue. "I think God may see some good in you and I feel that anyone that gets along with animals as well as you can hardly be that wicked. Despite Catholic teaching, I believe animals can tell the difference between good and evil.."  
"You really think so?" Karasuman asked giving the raven a few strokes, hardly able to believe what he just heard. "I do." Father Aurel said cheerfully. Karasuman visibly relaxed, no one had previously placed so much confidence in him before and this man acknowledged that he meant no harm. "Now perhaps you'd like to get out of the sun?" The demon nodded vigorously. "Then come into my church." Whatever faith Karasuman placed in the priest fled. He attempted to return to the roof, but fatigue made him sluggish and Father Aurel placed a hand on the demon's shoulder and pulled him back, "just relax and follow me, all will be well." The demon felt compelled to obey. If he didn't die just from being in St. Quirinus, the demon was sure he'd die of shock. After a bit more gentle coaxing from the kindly priest, Karasuman had finally entered the previously intimidating cathedral, ultimately discovering that he never felt safer anywhere else. The sweeping architecture and shining stained glass images of saints did something to put his soul at ease, quite ironic considering he was a demon. That fact may also have been partially explained by Alucard's and Maria's absence. After the initial confrontation, they had shown the demon nothing but restrained kindness, he was still uncomfortable around them. "This is certainly strange." Commented Father Aurel while taking his guest into the deeper recesses of his church. "What?" Karasuman asked, rather perturbed and too tired to sort out any puzzles. "What indeed!" the question echoed back, "I never expected to be taking a demon on a tour of St. Quirinus," continued the jovial cleric. Karasuman sighed and suddenly stopped walking, instead opting to sink against an ornate granite pillar. The priest scoffed at his own attempted to begin a conversation, then again at his own foolishness. "When was the last time you slept? You look somewhat worn-out." The demon nearly laughed, "Not since yesterday's sunset," he answered, not really having the energy to point out just how right his host was. "Then why not go get some rest? I'd imagine you'd be comfortable in the cathedral's bell tower. If nothing else, there are birds there you can befriend." Karasuman perked up at this, "You really wouldn't mind?" The priest stretched his hand to the demon, "Not at all. Here, I'll show you the way up." Karasuman gave him a dubious look before accepting the invitation. It seemed as though things would improve after all. After escorting the demon to his temporary sleeping quarters, Father Aurel prepared to attend to some of the more mundane tasks that awaited him around St. Quirinus and was somewhat amused to discover Richter scowling at him from a nearby pew. It was obvious why the hunter was upset, but the priest questioned him anyway. "What is the problem, my friend?"  
Richter huffed, "You know very well! Why are you allowing a demon to reside in our cathedral?" Father Aurel threw him a disarming smile, "Because anyone who gets along with animals can hardly be evil by my standards." Richter shakily stood up, "Father Aurel, I do respect you, but most boys outgrow that animal-loving stage by 12 years of age. But you....." A glare from the priest forced Richter to stop talking in mid-sentence. "Anyway" he continued after clearing his throat, "I think this is a bad mistake..."  
"Perhaps so Richter, but it has worked so far. Don't concern yourself with it.." Richter realized there was no point in berating the priest, "Whatever you say, Father." He said respectfully, preparing to leave the priest to his errands. On the way out, the hunter noticed a bat dangling from the rafters. It didn't even deserve the little consideration he gave it. Father Aurel had a strange affinity for animals, so there was a remote possibility he let the creature in himself. If that was not the case, he would just shoo it out later. 


End file.
